June 2012 - Journal of Accountancy

In honor of the AICPA’s 125th anniversary, the JofA presents 125 hints and pointers regarding technology topics such as Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, iPads, smartphones, Google, cool websites, and more.

A profession known for integrity and character has had more than its share of special people. With the help of an expert panel, the JofA identified 125 individuals who have had a significant impact on accounting during the AICPA’s 125-year history.

Take a visual tour of the past 125 years of accounting through this illustrated timeline, which highlights significant events and notable people in the development of the AICPA, the accounting profession, regulation, and the economy.

CPAs are uniquely positioned to enhance public understanding of government spending—and advocate for transparency, accountability, and improvements to government financial reporting.

This 10-question quiz isn’t as difficult as the CPA exam, but it isn’t easy.

Which technologies will have the biggest impact on accounting, and how will they transform the profession? Which technology skills will CPAs need to be successful?

CPAs have been the leaders in offering clients tax preparation, planning, and advice since the early 20th century, when landmark legislation instituted taxes on corporate and individual incomes. This article traces the history and development of the CPA tax practitioner over the past century.

AICPA members sent us their machines—and other bits of memorabilia used by CPAs in their day-to-day work and education—to help us illustrate the history of the profession. See images of the objects and read the stories behind them.

In a wide-ranging interview, AICPA President and CEO Barry Melancon addresses the trials, triumphs, and transformation of the accounting profession during the past two decades and outlines the ways he foresees technology, globalization, and other factors radically reshaping the CPA’s world over the next several years.

As the flood of baby boomers sweeps into retirement over the next two decades, a new wave of CPA leaders will rise. Where will these leaders take the accounting profession?

We’ve traced the creation of state-level accounting organizations from before 1900, when the first groups were founded, through a flurry of development in the early 20th century, when accounting societies, associations, or institutes began dotting the landscape.

Three CFOs from three very different industries offer insight into the fickle global marketplace—and how their roles are changing because of it.

Take a trip through time to see how the world and the accounting profession have evolved over the past 125 years. This feature makes stops in four years—1887, 1938, 1983, and 2012—giving you a glimpse of what it was like to be an accountant at various points during the AICPA’s existence.